August 25, 2013

Jerry Jones said Jay Ratliff won't practice next week and doesn't know if he will be ready for opener

When defensive tackle Jay Ratliff was placed on the
physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp with a strained
hamstring, the Cowboys termed it a short time injury and said he would be back
in a couple of weeks.

Two weeks has turned into more than a month and now Cowboys
owner Jerry Jones doesn't know if the former Pro Bowl defensive tackle will be
ready for the season opener.

Jones is certain Ratliff will not return to practice next
week and has no way to assess past that, raising the possibility that he could
open the season on the physically unable to perform list.

"There’s areas that none of us know other than to see
how it’s feeling on a day-to-day basis and where his strength is," Jones
said. "Not necessary how it is feeling. Ratliff will play on one leg. He
will. There’s no question about that. He’ll do it, and do it competitively. But
the bottom line is that we just don’t know how he’s going to measure up with
the symptoms and how wise that is to play him or not play him and get more out
of him later on down the road."

Jones said Ratliff is challenged in rehabbing from the
hamstring injury because he is also recovering from off-season groin surgery.
The latter was one of several injuries that sidelined him for ten games last
season.

"We are really having to feel our way," Jones
said. "We have to keep an eye on his strength. All of it down there needs
strengthening. Anything down there that needs strengthening. You got some
issues. You might strengthen one too much and not have the other strong enough.
It keeps the other from firing. The word firing is appropriate here. We are not
ready. At this junction, he is not ready to get out there."

Ratliff's presence was key in the team's decision to switch from the 3-4 to the 4-3 defense under Monte Kiffin. He was expected to thrive in the under tackle position after being beaten down the last few years as a nose tackle in a 3-4. His numbers have declined in each of the last four years because of wear and tear and injuries.